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Summary. Graduate assistant candidates should reflect on their experience and come up with examples of specific skills and qualities that relate back to the job. Interviewers should review the candidates resume before the interviewer to be familiar with the candidates qualifiactions.
A graduate assistant is a research or administrative assistant at a university. This type of job requires exceptional communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
Expectations for a graduate assistant’s job are steep, but there’s still going to be a lot of competition. Once you’ve received your interview confirmation, you need to do some serious prep work to make sure you’re ready for whatever the hiring manager throws your way.
In addition to preparing for the interview questions ahead of time, you should also come up with a list of your own to ask the recruiter at the end of the interview when he or she says, “Do you have any questions for me?” It’s also important to send a follow-up email after the interview to make sure you remain top of mind.
Key Takeaways:
Candidates should research the institute and get familiar with their mission statement and values.
Interviewers should be ready to answer questions the candidate has relating to the program, institute, and position.
As the Candidate:
Research the institution or university. Take time to learn more about the institution that you are applying to. Learn what their mission statement is, their values, programs they offer, and recent initiatives. This will help you understand the role more and tailor your answers to the specific needs of the institution.
Reflect on your experiences. Think on your previous academic and professional experiences and come up with examples of skills or qualities that relate to the position. This can help you better articulate your strengths and show the interviewer why you are a good fit for the position.
Review common interview questions. Review common interview questions for graduate assistant positions. This will help you get comfortable and confident in your answers, which will help you when it comes time for the interview.
As the Interview:
Structure your interview. Structuring your interview will help you stay on track on time. This will help you prevent wasting your time and the candidates time with eliminating any small talk or unnecessary topics.
Review the candidates resume. Review the candidates resume before the start of the interview. This will help you get a sense of their academic background, qualifications, and work history.
Be ready to answer questions. The candidate should have questions to ask about the position, institute, and the program. Be prepared to answer the questions thoughtfully to help sell your institute.
Like many other academic and internship interview questions, you can expect the recruiter to ask probing behavioral and interpersonal questions based on your past leadership roles, achievements, and future goals instead of relying on your previous work experience since you likely don’t have much to draw upon.
Most graduate assistant interviews will consist of a mix of common, generic interview questions such as “Tell me about yourself” or “What is your ideal work environment?” as well as job-specific questions that will test your ability to think through hypothetical situations and draw upon your past experiences.
Below are some sample interview questions and answers for a graduate assistant:
Tell me about yourself
This is a common interview question that is asked to get an understanding of who you are and what your skills and qualifications are. Be sure to highlight your relevant experiences and skills that relate back to the position and job description.
Example Answer:
I have recently completed by undergraduate degree in business and I am now pursuing a business degree at XYZ University. Throughout my academic journey, I've had the opportunity to gain experience in financial intelligence, which I believe will be valuable in this role. Throughout my time pursing this degree, I have developed strong communication and organizational skills.
Why do you want to work as a graduate assistant?
Chances are, money is the driving factor motivating you to apply for a job. Even if that’s true, you probably don’t want to start your interview by admitting that’s your primary reason.
Instead, try to layer a few reasons into your answer. Talk about your desire to help the student community, build your network, or even continue your education after earning a master’s degree.
Example Answer:
I was truly inspired by a graduate assistant who took the time to mentor me a couple of years ago. I would like to pay the kind gesture forward and help other students, and I’m excited about connecting and networking with influential faculty members and other motivated students. I plan to continue my education as a Ph.D. student, so this seems like a phenomenal opportunity to learn more about academic research, writing theses, and teaching. Also, the extra money will help me pay for my education, but I’m honestly more excited about having the chance to give back and connect with people.
How do you plan to handle your studies on top of the duties of being a graduate assistant?
Both of your roles will be very important, so if possible, you should avoid prioritizing one over the other. A good answer to this question will focus on balance and schedules.
Example Answer:
I put a lot of thought into this before I applied for the position. I looked at my extracurricular activities and determined that there’s room to make sacrifices in my free time, especially now that I no longer play sports like I used to. I believe with careful planning and daily and weekly schedules, I can give 100% to my job while still maintaining my grades.
Tell me about previous roles you’ve held in the student community.
In most cases, it’s extremely difficult to land a job as a graduate assistant unless you had some experience as an RA, student director, or other important roles in the student community. Be sure to share your responsibilities and provide examples.
If you don’t have any prior experience, explain why you weren’t interested before and now suddenly are. You can refer to other types of experience, such as student clubs or part-time jobs, that may have prevented you from dedicating yourself to a more active role in the student community.
Example Answer:
I was an RA at Mountaintop Dorm. I mentored several students who were interested in being RAs, and I had a lot of fun building the residential community through programs such as ice cream socials, meet-and-greets, costume contests, outdoor activities, and putting together teams of volunteers to help with community service projects around the campus and town. The job certainly had its challenges, especially with one student who notoriously violated the nighttime “quiet hours” policy. But by the end of the year, we’d worked out our differences, and the student even said that she’d miss me knocking on her door and telling her to keep it down.
What are your expectations from the professors and other staff members?
When answering this question, you absolutely do not want to give the impression that you’re expecting supervisors to hold your hand. It’s important to demonstrate that you’re confident, competent, and independent enough to stand on your own two feet with your own ideas and methods.
Example Answer:
I like to know what’s expected of me in terms of my responsibilities and deadlines. I think honest and open communication is very important, but it’s a two-way street, so while I expect it from my supervisors, I also intend to reciprocate clear communication. I hope that I will receive constructive feedback, especially early on while I’m still learning, so that I can be more effective. I’m here to help in whatever ways are most needed.
How do you handle high levels of stress?
A regular job is hard, but trying to juggle your studies on top of a potentially stressful job as a graduate assistant is a perfect recipe for finding yourself in high-stress situations.
When answering this question, don’t brush it off by claiming you don’t get stressed. Instead, present an example of a stressful situation and how you dealt with the pressure. Try to focus on the positive outcome or valuable skills you learned.
Example Answer:
Pressure has taught me how to prioritize and balance my workload by scheduling each project to make sure I stay on task. I’ve found that planning has helped me to reduce my stress greatly. If I’m feeling overwhelmed, my best motivator is to focus on the results I’m working toward achieving. Stepping back and looking objectively at my goals and the potential rewards helps me to take a deep breath and focus on what I need to do.
Have you ever had a conflict with another student? If so, describe the issue and tell me how you resolved it.
Using the STAR method is a good way to handle these types of behavioral interview questions. Set up the situation, explain your task and what action you took to resolve the conflict, and finish with the results of your solution.
Example Answer:
I had some trouble with a student when I was an RA. She liked to listen to loud music when she was studying, which wasn’t a big deal during the day but caused problems at night when she was up late, and other students needed to sleep. After multiple warnings, I realized that simply telling her to turn down the music or use headphones wasn’t having much of an effect.
Although another RA advised that I impose a punishment, I decided to take a different approach and connect with the student. I had figured out her usual pattern and knew which days of the week she was most likely to cause issues, so I preemptively invited her to join me for late-night study sessions with snacks in the common area. Soon, word spread, and these study sessions became popular with other students who were up late studying. We started the Midnight Study Club.
Anyone was welcome to join us as long as they stayed quiet, and it quickly turned into a potluck-style activity where students brought treats to share. I think it helped the student connect with others on the dorm floor and understand that she wasn’t the only one who needed to study, and her actions had been disrupting the people around her. Rather than punishment, I rallied the community around her, and I’m proud of how that situation was resolved.
What do you feel are the most important qualities an effective teaching assistant should have?
This question is phrased as a general inquiry, but it’s actually probing your strengths. It’s no good to list off the skills you think are most important, but none of those traits are on your resume. Make sure you’re highlighting your strengths when choosing attributes for your answer. Don’t include your weaknesses.
Example Answer:
I believe planning and organizational skills are the most important, but a good teaching assistant should also be positive, energetic, patient, and creative with excellent communication skills and the ability to adapt to sudden changes and challenges.
Describe a situation where you successfully trained someone.
Again, the STAR method is particularly effective for these types of questions. Remember to stay humble and emphasize the methods you used rather than how amazing you are as a trainer or coach.
Example Answer:
As I was finishing up my internship last year, I was responsible for training the new intern who would be taking my place. Even though I gave her the training manual and explained the processes several times, she still seemed to be struggling.
I talked to her and asked if there was anything I could do differently to help her, and she explained that she’s a visual learner and has a hard time retaining written information. I took some extra time to type up checklists and give her hands-on demonstrations following the checklists step by step, and I noticed an immediate improvement once I altered my training method to suit her learning style better.
What would you do if you disagreed with a supervisor?
Your response to a conflict is important because disagreements are inevitable, but how you respond to them can make a world of difference. Even though your temper might be flaring at the moment, remember to craft your answer in a reasonable, factual manner and stress that you can leave your emotions out of the equation.
Example Answer:
If I disagreed with a supervisor, I would first make sure that I had a complete understanding of the facts and the situation as a whole. At that point, if I were still in disagreement, I would calmly voice my concerns and state the reasons. I would hope to have a rational conversation to understand the supervisor’s point of view better. But in the end, even if I still disagreed, I would ultimately defer to the supervisor’s decision. I won’t hesitate to state my opinions, but my job is to support the supervisor.
How do you prioritize multiple projects?
This question is testing your multitasking and organizational skills. Be sure to describe the factors you take into account when determining how to prioritize tasks.
Example Answer:
I’ve always been a natural when it comes to multitasking. As an RA, I had very little trouble keeping my priorities straight and meeting my deadlines. I’ve found that making schedules and to-do lists are extremely helpful. I consider the deadline of a project and how much estimated time I expect I’ll need to complete it when I’m determining which tasks to prioritize.
Just because a project is due sooner doesn’t necessarily mean it gets higher priority if I know I can complete it in a fraction of the time it will take to finish a bigger project with a later deadline. Approaching my task list with a pragmatic and objective point of view has helped me immensely.
What experiences have prepared you to be a graduate assistant?
The hiring manager is looking for any type of leadership positions you’ve held. Make sure you’re familiar with the requirements in the job listing so you can tailor your response. If the position is going to be research-heavy, focus on that in your answer. If you're teaching students, your answer should be different.
Example Answer:
My experience as an RA was a great preparation to become a graduate assistant. It taught me how to keep a schedule, prioritize tasks, be a leader and mediator, communicate with students and faculty, plan and organize events, and find a balance between my RA duties and my studies. My summer internship also provided me with additional teamwork, research, and communication skills that I feel left me well prepared for this new role.
How would you respond to an RA who reaches out to you for help solving a conflict between students?
Supervising RAs is usually delegated to graduate assistants, so this type of communication interview question is likely to arise. If you have experience as an RA, lean on it. If not, use common sense mediation techniques in your response. Remember to be empathetic and stress your communication strengths.
Example Answer:
As a former RA, I’ve been in that position myself and understand how frustrating it can be. I would advise the RA to listen to both sides of the conflict before taking any action or jumping to conclusions. Sometimes simply reminding students of the rules in the hall is enough, but the RA may need to go a step further and implement corrective action within the residence guidelines. Every situation is different but still needs to be approached with a calm, rational demeanor that’s as fair as possible.
If a professor needs information for a paper he’s writing, where would you look to assist him?
Graduate assistants should be well versed in utilizing resources. “I’d go to the library” isn’t going to cut it as an answer; try to be creative and consider different avenues.
Example Answer:
I would start by searching for credible sources online, including archived news articles, medical studies, experiments published through universities, and other verified papers and reports. I also like to visit the library and see what I can find in print sources.
As a people person, I love talking directly to qualified individuals who may be able to point me in the direction of a great resource, introduce me to a contact who could help or even provide a quotable statement themselves. This university is teeming with brilliant and respected professionals who have a lot of real-world experience, so I would take a look at the campus directory to see if anyone might fit the criteria and be willing to spare a little time for me.
What do you hope to gain from working as a graduate assistant?
“Money” is the wrong answer. The recruiter is looking to see what your long-term goals are. What skills and experiences are you going to take away from this job?
Example Answer:
I believe networking is profoundly important to success, and I’m eager to connect with the talented faculty and students at this university, especially since I’d love to return as a professor myself someday. I expect to learn important lessons about leadership, prioritization, research, and perseverance that will help me advance into my career. For me, this isn’t just a job; it’s an experience that has the potential to drastically improve my existing skills and help me develop new ones as well as new professional connections.
We’ve had a lot of great candidates for this position. I like what I’ve heard from you so far, but why should we choose you?
You can pretty much expect the question “What sets you apart from other candidates?” to come up in just about any type of interview. It’s a common interview question no matter what job you’re seeking.
Despite the apparent invitation to compare yourself to other applicants you probably don’t know anything about, the hiring manager isn’t asking you to make a direct comparison, nor are you expected or encouraged to make assumptions about other candidates and claim that they’re less qualified than you.
Instead, focus on your past experiences and the most relevant skills you have to offer. If you have any special or unique talents, now would be the time to bring them up.
Example Answer:
I was an RA for two years, so I’ve had plenty of experience dealing with everyday conflicts and crises. I’m familiar with handling common problems that are likely to arise to address them quickly, efficiently, and as fairly as possible. I also pride myself on having excellent communication and organizational skills. I put my heart and soul into everything I do. I believe my experience, passion, and relevant skill set make me an ideal candidate to serve all of this department’s needs.
What made you interested in pursuing a graduate assistant position in this field, and how do you see this role fitting into your long-term career goals?
Can you discuss a time when you had to balance your academic responsibilities with your graduate assistant duties? How did you manage your time effectively, and what did you learn from that experience?
As a graduate assistant, you will be working closely with faculty and students. How do you plan to establish positive working relationships with them, and what strategies do you have for managing any conflicts that may arise?
In your previous academic and professional experiences, what specific skills or knowledge have you developed that you believe will be beneficial in this graduate assistant role?
What role do you see research playing in your work as a graduate assistant, and how do you plan to stay current with developments in your field?
Can you discuss a time when you were asked to troubleshoot a technical issue, and what steps did you take to identify and resolve the problem?
As a graduate assistant, you will likely be responsible for assisting with data collection, analysis, and reporting. How familiar are you with data analysis tools, and what techniques have you used in the past?
What experience do you have working with undergraduate students, and how do you plan to support their academic success in this role?
In your opinion, what are the most important qualities for a graduate assistant to possess, and how do you demonstrate those qualities in your work?
As a graduate assistant, you may be asked to contribute to curriculum development or program assessment efforts. What experience do you have in these areas, and what specific strategies have you found effective for developing and assessing academic programs?